


On the Subject of Gold and Gems

by ceruleyana



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Cultural Differences, Dwarves are Great and Everyone is Just Jealous, Gen, M/M, Mirkwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:34:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25940704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceruleyana/pseuds/ceruleyana
Summary: Thorin spoke in a hushed tone. "Bilbo, what do you know of dwarves and gems?"
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Comments: 6
Kudos: 218





	On the Subject of Gold and Gems

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Haven't posted in a bit. Currently in a writing workshop so that's been fun!
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this! It's me ranting about how dwarves are wonderful poorly disguised as a fic so hey!

Bilbo felt his nose twitch, sleep continuing to evade him. He opened his eyes and sighed. The only sounds present were the snores of the surrounding dwarves, asleep. He rather envied them for their slumber, yet the absence of sound in Mirkwood was too disturbing to fall asleep to. It wasn't natural, the quiet.

He stood up, brushing off the leaves that had fallen on his person and walked towards Thorin who had been put in charge of keeping watch for the night. He always seemed to gravitate towards Thorin these days, not that Thorin seemed to mind.

"Couldn't sleep, Master Baggins? Is the snoring keeping you up?" Thorin kept his eyes on the vast nothingness between the trees, but he had a slight furrow in his brow.

"Hmph, if that was the case, I wouldn't have gotten any sleep since leaving the Shire." Bilbo sat down next to Thorin who was leaning against a gnarled tree. "Quite the opposite. Forests aren't usually this quiet. It's a bit disturbing."

"That is something we can agree on." The corner of Thorin's mouth curled into a small smirk. "This forest is cursed."

Bilbo fidgeted with his hands, the conversation a few hours ago still fresh in his mind. To pull themselves out of the dreary mood Mirkwood had put everyone in, the Company talked of the gems hidden away in Erebor, waiting to be reclaimed from the dragon within. They talked of the Arkenstone, which was said to be more bewitching than any other jewel. Most of it had gone over poor Bilbo's head, for to him, no jewel could compare to a nice hot meal right now, no matter how brightly it shone.

It would seem that Thorin had sensed his restlessness, since he looked away from the trees and tilted his head towards Bilbo. "Is there something bothering you, Bilbo?"

Bilbo blinked, shaken from his thoughts. Had he been thinking that loudly? Thorin rarely called him Bilbo, despite them being on good terms lately.

"Ah, it's nothing. Don't mind me." When Thorin's worried look did not waver, Bilbo sighed. "It's just. All that talk of gold and gems earlier. I don't know how to ask this without sounding like a bit of an arse, but- really don't mind me, Thorin."

Bilbo looked at Thorin who appeared tense. "I will try not to take offense at your question."

Bilbo bit his lip and let out a deep breath. "I'm asking this out of curiosity, I swear to you. I truly don't mean to offend, but why do dwarves value gold and gems so much?"

Thorin said nothing for a few moments, his face expressionless. Bilbo, on the other hand, continued biting his lip, worried that he had ruined the fragile friendship between him and Thorin because he couldn't keep his curiosity to himself.

Just as he was about to ask Thorin to not think about what he just asked, please and thank you, Thorin spoke in a hushed tone. "Bilbo, what do you know of dwarves and gems?"

Bilbo opened and closed his mouth several times, pondering at the question. "Well, before I got caught up in this adventure, not very much, to be honest. I knew your kind were fond of them, to be sure. I've heard elves call it," he hesitated before continuing, "unnatural, how dwarves value gems."

At the mention of elves, Thorin's expression darkened. "Unnatural. Of course, elves would not understand. They are too caught up in themselves to comprehend it."

"I must admit, had you asked me this before, I would have dismissed you without a thought, for we are used to this sort of judgment. But you are one of us now, Bilbo." Thorin's look softened as he put a hand on Bilbo's shoulder. "For you to understand why we are doing this quest, you must understand why we are drawn to metals and gems."

"When Mahal made the first dwarves into existence, he gave them his love of crafting." Thorin began, looking again into the distance. "That love has been passed on to every descendant, to the last dwarf. We love metals and gems for they are things that we can bend and cut and shape into beautiful things, both delicate and hardy. To craft, for us dwarves, is to thank Mahal for breathing life into us."

"Men and Elves are the favored children of Eru, and they walk these lands with the knowledge of it. They see our crafts and have warped it into something else, something more sinister, yet they blame us for creating them in the first place. Not only that, they blame us for our misfortunes from seeking treasures that we can mold, from the loss of Gundabad to the fate of Khazad Dum."

"They call us greedy and covetous for we dig deep in our mountains, yet they look at our treasures with jealous eyes. They say we are blinded by our treasure, yet we say that they think it is our sole worth. They say we keep to ourselves and are secretive to a fault, I say history has taught us enough of Elves and Men to know not to trust them."

"Unnatural." Thorin scoffed, shaking his head. "How can it be unnatural when it is deep in our bones, our hands, the gift that Mahal has bestowed upon us."

Both said nothing for a few moments, the only sound within their Company being a few echoing snores. Bilbo glanced at Thorin, who had his head tilted towards the night sky, his eyes closed.

"I... I think I understand." Bilbo said quietly, looking at his lap. "It makes a lot more sense, what you were all talking about before. I- I'm sorry that the world has not been kind to you all."

"Do not pity us, Bilbo, for we do not need nor want it." Thorin opened his eyes and smiled at Bilbo who started stammering an apology. "We have stood our ground despite whatever the world has decided to throw at us and had come out stronger. We are a hardy race, after all. What we ask is simply to be respected and understood. That would be enough."

"I must say, I am all the more glad to have come." Bilbo reached over and squeezed Thorin's hand. "If I could help you get your mountain back, I think I would be able to live peacefully with the knowledge that you all are able to create all sorts of wonderful things in there."

Thorin squeezed Bilbo's hand back. "I am glad that you came as well."

Bilbo sighed. "If only we could get out of this forest."

"Oi! Lovebirds!" A harsh whisper broke through. Both of them turned to see Fili and Kili waving at them.

"It's time for our watch." Kili yawned.

"Yes, he's right." Fili added. "Go to sleep, you two. You can stare into each other's eyes tomorrow. Shoo!"

"We were not-" Bilbo's hushed protests were cut off by Thorin who stood up and glared at his nephews.

He started walking towards his bedroll, but not before turning to Bilbo. "Good night, Master Baggins." He then turned to Fili and Kili. "Keep sharp!"

"Sharper than you two." Kili said jokingly while Fili chuckled.

Bilbo stood up from his spot while rolling his eyes at the two dwarves. He waved at the two and went to his bedroll, settling in. He thought about the Shire and how all hobbits share a love of things that grow. As Bilbo started to drift off to sleep, he couldn't help but think of the song that they sang in Bag-End. It had moved him before, but in truth, at the time, he didn't really understand why. The longer he traveled with the Company and the more he got to know them, the more that the melody seemed to strike a chord in Bilbo's heart.

The last thought that he had before he lost consciousness was of Thorin's hands, large and calloused, yet had a gentleness to them. He would make the most marvelous things when all is said and done, Bilbo thinks.


End file.
